The present invention relates to a container system and method for medical waste disposal. More specifically, the present invention relates to a medical waste container system and method utilizing a disposable container and a reusable hood assembly.
Various types of containers for hospital use have been developed for receiving medical waste in a surgical operating room, pre-op or post-op room, a patient's room, or in other clinical or non-clinical settings in which medical waste is generated. These containers are particularly designed to protect the user of such containers, such as doctors, nurses, or other hospital personnel, from the hospital waste products that may be disposed therein. Such hospital waste products might include surgical sharps, such as needles, syringes, scalpel blades, or the like, or might include gauzes, bandages, or sponges. It is important to prevent the user of a sharps container from being accidentally cut or punctured by its contents. Furthermore, it is important to prevent access to the contents of the container during disposal thereof. Additionally, it is important for the containers to be maintained sterile to prevent contamination, infection or the like from the container assembly itself.
Examples of sharps disposal containers include those shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,715,498, entitled “Sharps Disposal System”; U.S. Pat. No. 5,080,251, entitled “Tortuous Path In-Patient Room Medical Waste Disposal Container”; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,494,186, entitled “Wall Mounted Medical Waste Disposal Container With Pivoted Top Closure Lid”, each of which is incorporated herein by reference.
Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, a sharps disposal container system 10 similar to that described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,494,186 is shown. The disposable container system 10 includes a disposable container 12 upon which a hood assembly 11 is permanently mounted. As seen in FIG. 2, the hood assembly 11 includes locking tabs 17 about its lower periphery that are configured to lock in corresponding locking holes (not shown) in the rim of the container 12. The hood assembly 11 includes opposed cowl surfaces 13 and 15 that define a tortuous path opening 20 through the hood assembly 11 into the disposable container 12. The tortuous path opening 20 reduces accessibility to disposed articles within the container 12. Once the container 12 is filled to a desired level, the pivotal lid 14 is moved from the illustrated position to a closed position wherein the lid 14 covers the opening 20 and the lid locking tab 16 engages locking slot 18 to permanently lock the lid 14 in this closed position. The disposable container system 10 is sealed and ready for disposal, with the container 12 and permanently connected hood assembly 11 being removed and send for disposal.
Referring to FIGS. 3 and 4, a sharps disposal container system 22 similar to that described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,715,498 is shown. Primary components of the system 22 are a hollow, outer enclosure 34 and an inner container system 23 shaped to be located within the outer enclosure 34. The inner container system 23 is similar to the container system 10 of FIGS. 1 and 2 and includes a disposable container 24 and a permanently attached hood assembly 26. As best shown in FIG. 4, the container 24 includes a peripheral, outwardly-extending flange 25 and the hood assembly 26 includes a skirt having an inwardly-extending lip 27 which snaps beneath the flange 25 when the hood assembly 26 is placed on the container 24. The hood assembly 26 includes a pivotal closure 28 installed within an inlet 29 formed therein. The pivotal closure 28 includes an upwardly-extending leg 30 which in a closed position, as shown in FIG. 4, closes the inlet 29 and a downwardly-depending leg 32 which extends into the interior of the inner container 24 and which pivots to a position which blocks the inlet 29 and minimizes accessibility to the contents of the container when the closure 28 is moved to an open, sharps receiving position (as shown in phantom in FIG. 4).
Turning to the outer enclosure 34, the enclosure 34 includes an access door 36 secured by hinges 35 onto the main body 38 of the enclosure 34. Opposite the hinges 35, the door 36 includes a lock 37 to lock the door 36. The main body 38 of the outer enclosure 34 includes a raised cowl 40 extending over a slot 42. The inner container system 23 is positional in the enclosure 34 such that the hood assembly 26 is within the cowl 40 with the inlet 29 aligned with the slot 42.
When the inner container 24 has been filled with sharps, it is preferably discarded. In order to secure the contents therewithin, a plurality of catches or locks 46 are formed in the interior of the hood 26. By applying pressure to the face of the closure 28, the closure 28 is forced within the hood 26 and snaps past the first or both of the catches 46. Due to the configuration of the catches 46, the closure 28 may be pivoted past the catches toward the interior of the hood 26, but is prevented from returning. The contents of the container 24 are therefore secured. The enclosure door 36 is opened and the inner container system 23, including the container 24 and the hood assembly 26 permanently attached thereto, is removed and discarded.
Disposal of the filled containers adds to land fill waste and adds to the cost of the disposable container system. Accordingly, there remains a need for an improved container system that can be employed to decrease the waste and cost associated with prior art systems.